File drawer and follower



Oct. 23, 1956 H. w. REGENHARDT 2,767,715

FILE DRAWER AND FOL-LOWER 7 Filed Sept. 25, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR. HANS 'M/ /@'6A/HA PDT HTTOE/VEYS,

O 23, 1956 H. w: REGENHARDT FILE DRAWER AND FOLLOWER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 25, 1953' INVENTOR.

r 5 7 m m NW? N W 2,767,715 iilatented och-"23, 1956 FlLE DRAWER AND FOLLOWER Hans W. Regenhardt, Wooster, Ohio, assignor to Record Files, Inc., Wooster, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 23, 1953, Serial No. 381,899

3 Claims. (Cl. 129-31) This invention relates to a drawer-and-follower combination for a filing cabinet.

More particularly, the invention relates to a drawer and a follower therefor both of which are of very simple construction but in which, notwithstanding the high degree of simplicity, adequate provision is made for holding the follower adjustably in place in a manner such that it can effectively resist the pressure of the material filed in the drawer. In the simpler of the previously known cabinet constructions, no provision whatever is made for holding the follower in place in the drawer; therefore, as the batch of cards or other material forward of the follower is increased in size, the follower is under increasing pressure to work rearwardly. The addition of any means the function of which is to hold the follower adjustably in place in a given position naturally tends to complicate the construction of the drawer, the follower or both. The present invention has for its object to provide means to accomplish the desired endsin extremely simple fashion.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows and from the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective of the drawer and follower on a scale of approximately one-half. Figure 2 is a similar perspective with the near side wall partly broken away to show the base of the follower. what larger scale looking forward fromline 33 of Figure 2. Figure 3a is an enlargement of the lower right hand corner of Figure 3. Figure 4 is a plan of the drawer and follower on the same scale as in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a similar plan showing the follower as it appears in a different position with the cards removed. Figure 6 is a corresponding central vertical section with the follower in elevation. Figure 7 is a plan corresponding generally to Figures 4 and 5 but with the cards omitted and with the follower in still another position; Figure 8 is the corresponding central vertical section.

As appears from Figure 1, the drawer 1 incorporates a bottom portion 2, a rear end portion 3 and a front end portion 4, the latter being provided with a handle 5. Between rear end portion 3 and front end portion 4, the usual side wall portions extend from the bottom portion, the near side wall portion being designated 6 and the far side wall portion being designated 7. As indicated in Figure 2, wherein near sid wall portion 6 appears with part thereof broken away, bottom portion 2 and the two side wall portions 6 and 7 which flank it are preferably integrally formed from the same piece of stock, which in such case will ordinarily be a single piece of I sheet metal.

It will be apparent from Figures 1 and 2 that each of the two side wall portions 6 and 7 is characterized by an integral downwardly turned top flange which to some extent functions as a card guide, the one on near side wall portion 6 being designated 8 and the one on far side wall portion 7 being designated 9.

Figure 3 is a section on a some- Approximately midway between bottom portion 2 and top flanges 8 and 9, side wall portions 6 and 7 are provided with longitudinally extending card guides taking the form of inwardly directed channels, that on near side wall portion 6 being designated 10 and that on far side wall portion 7 being designed 11. Guides 10 and 11 extend horizontally in parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the drawer from rear end portion 3 to front end portion 4 thereof. By forming them as channels, it is possible to introduce guides '10 and 11 into the stock by a suitable shaping operation while the stock is stillflat. In lieu thereof, separately formed strips may, if desired, be attached in any suitable way to the inner faces of the two side wall portions, such separately formed strips likewise functioning as guides for the cards. In either case, side wall portions 6 and 7 are stiffened somewhat, although not by so much as to preclude their being spread apart manually to facilitate the introduction or the removal of the follower.

As appears from Figures 1 to 3, the outer face of each of the two side wall portions 6 and 7 is characterized near the base thereof by a series of semi-circular indentations 12. Such indentations appear as semi-circular bosses 13 on the opposite or inner face of the side wall portion in which they are formed. Seen from above, as in Figures 4, 5 and 7, bosses 13 present a generally rounded, knob-like appearance; seen in elevation, as in Figures 1 and 2 or in Figures 6 and 8, each boss 13 has a flat horizontally extending lower edge 14. It is the presence of flat lower edges 14 that gives bosses 13 their semi-circular aspect when seen in elevation.

Preferably, all of the bosses 13 in the same side wall portion are formed simultaneously by a single lancing operation pursuant to which the stock is pierced at uniform intervals to form horizontal slits 15'of the type shown in Figure 3a. As indicated therein, slits 15 are near the base of theside wall portion at approximately the level of the flat lower edges 14 of bosses 13. Above each slit 15, an indentation 12 appears as shown in the outer face of the side wall portion, such indentation being in juxtaposition to the corresponding boss 13 on the inside face thereof. Bosses 13 are formedin side wall portions 6 and 7 in transversely aligned pairs, as indicated'by Figure 3. All of the bosses 13 thusare disposed with their chords in a common horizontal plane that is parallel to the bottom portion 2 of the drawer.

In Figures 1 to 4, a batch of cards, designated 17, is shown as such batch appears when the cards which comprise it are compressed by a sheet metal follower 18.

The follower consists of a flat upwardly extending portion 19 that is somewhat narrower at its top than at its base and, connected to it at an angle of about a flat rearwardlyextending portion 20. The latter, which constitutes the base of the follower, extends across the full width of the drawer from a narrow zone immediately beneath bosses 13 on side wall portion 6 to a like zone immediately beneath bosses 13 on side wallportion 7. Under normal conditions base 20 is in contact with bottom portion 2 of the drawer 1, as shown in Figures 2 and 6. i

As best seen in Figures 2, 5 and 7, base 20 is characterized by lateral cut-away areas or openings 21 each of which is generally trapezoidal in shape and several times as long ash is wide. Cut-away areas 21 are located approximately centrally of the lateral edges of base'20; i. e., those edges which adjoin the side wall'portions of the drawer. The presence of cut-away areas 21 gives each side of base 20 the appearance of having a tab-like projection 22 to the rear of cut-away area 21 and a generally similar tab-like projection 23 forward of cutaway area'21 between cut-away area 21 and upwardly "extending portion 19 of the follower. The precise geometrical shape of cut-away area 21 is not important; however, the length of cut-away area 21 measured along the lateral edge of base 20 and therefore along the side wall portion of, the, drawer is related asv hereinafter explained -to (the spacing between adjoining bosses 1-3.

The relationship is preferably such that the two opposed cut-away areas 21 will freely straddle the two opposed bosses 13 of a given pair, as shown, for example, in Figures 7 and 8, but will not at any one time straddle the bosses of more than one pair. From the showing in Figure 4, it will be seen that each cut-away area 21 has a maximum length less than the center-tocenter distance between any two adjacent bosses. Therefore, when each of the two cut-away areas.21 is centered or approximately centered between two adjacent bosses 13, follower 18 can neither be lifted bodily upward nor rotated clockwise or counterclockwise; i. e., rearwardly about the trailing edge-or'forwardly aboutthe'leading edge of its base.

In the state of affairs shown in Figure 4, the compressed batch of cards 17 on the forward side of the follower precludes further forward movement of the follower. Rearward movement of the follower is limited by the fact that when there is a tendency to such movernent, the upwardly extending portion 19'of the follower comes-almost at once into contact with the two bosses 13 immediately to the rear thereof, one on either side of the drawer. Thus follower 18 is precluded from moving rearward to any great extent and precluded from moving forward unless some or all of the cards making up batch 17 are removed from the drawer.

Figures and 6 illustrate what happens when the batch of cards is removed from the drawer. In this case, the resistance offered by the cards disappears as a factor and in consequence the follower 18 can be moved to the right from the position showin Figure 4 until it abuts the pair of bosses 13 lying immediately forward of the upwardly extending portion 19 thereof. Reference to Figures Sand 6 will reveal that in the latter position follower; 18 cannot, so long as base 20 thereof is maintained in contact with bottom portion 2 of the drawer, be moved farther to the right. It can, however, be pivoted Cltl'lCI'zClOCkWlSC or counterclockwise (preferably counterclockwise) about the appropriate edge ofbase 20.

By pivoting follower 18 in either direction with either hand as indicated in Figure 6 by the dotted arrow and simultaneously spreading side wall portions 6 and 7 with the other hand, it is possible to free the follower, lift it upward, and, if desired, relocate it in or remove it from the drawer. Usually, however, it is better if follower 18 is first moved forwardly relatively for a short distance from the position shown in Figure 4 or, if preferred, moved rearwardly for a like distance from the position shown in; Figure 6.

In the intermediate position shown in Figures 7 and 8, in which base 20 of follower 18 is centered or approximately'centered about the pair of bosses designated 13, follower 18 may be freely rotated in a clockwise direction about the leading edge of base 20. This clockwise rotation develops the space which appears beneath base 20 in Figure 8. With equal freedom, follower 18 may be rotated in a counterclockwise direction about the trailing edge of base 20. Thus when centered in the intermediate position shown in Figure 7, follower 18 can readily be rotated in either direction and re-located in or removed from drawer 1, the latter by spreading side wall portions 6 and 7 thereof and simultaneously rotating and pulling upward on follower 18. Insertion of follower 18 in the drawer 1 is accomplished by reversing the movement just ,described.

Recapitulating what has been brought out so far, the filing cabinet drawer of the present invention is characterized by the usual bottom portion, end and side wall portions extending upward from the bottom portion, and, projecting from the side wall portions into the interior of 4 the drawer, a multiplicity of serially-arranged bosses at the same level above the bottom portion, there being at least one such series in each of the two side wall portions of the drawer. The follower is characterized by cutaway areas along the contiguous portions of the base thereof, such cut-away portions having a mar-:ium reach measured lengthwise of the drawer which is somewhat less than the center-to-center distance between adjacent bosses. Where these relationships obtain, the follower can readily be inserted into and removed from the drawer without interference between the bosses and the base of the follower.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, best seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3, there are twelve semi-circular bosses 13 in each of the two side wall portions 6 and 7. Adjacent bosses are separated by a distance of approximately 25 millimeters, measured from center to center. The individual bosses have radii of approximately 2 millimeters; consequently, slits 15 of the base thereof are about 4 millimeters long. The distance separating the flat lower edges 14 of bosses 13 from the upper face of bottom portion -2 of drawer 1 -is preferably about .millimeter'more than the thickness of the stock of which follower 18 is formed, thus permitting base 20 to slide without binding beneath bosses 13.

The maximum length of the cut-away area 21 on either side of base 20 of follower 18 is approximately 14 millimeters. Measured transversely, the width of a given cut-away area may conveniently be of the order of 2 millimeters,although it may of course be much more. At the two opposite ends of base20 of follower 18; i. e., those portions of base 20 which adjoin side wall portions 6 and 7, there is a clearance of about /2 millimeter, at least when follower 18 is centered between side wall portions6 and 7. The overall clearance thus is about 1 millimeter.

Reference to Figure 3 will show in detail the relationships that exist as between bosses 13 and the overlying portions of side wall portions 6 and 7, including dowm wardly turned flanges 8 and 9. Bosses 13 extend inwardly not more than about 1 /2 millimeters from the inner faces of the side wall portions in which they are formed, this being about the same distance by which card guides 10, and 11 project inwardly from the side wall portions of the drawer. Card guides 10 and 11 thus serve to center the cards between bosses 13. Downwardly turned flanges 8 and 9, although provided primarily for stiffening purposes, serve to some extent to limit tilting of the cards to the leftor to the right; however,

they need not necessarily be so shallow that they do not make contact with the cards, as in Figure 3.

Thus the invention provides a drawer-and-follower combination in which both the drawer and the follower are characterized by an unusually high degree of simplicity. From conventional followers of superficially similar types the above-described follower differs in the presence of the cut-away areas along the lateral edges of its base. .In the drawer itself, the side wall portions differ from those of some of the simpler conventional drawers in the presence of inwardly projecting bosses for restraining and limiting the permissible movement of the follower. Both features of the invention are easily introduced and do not add greatly to the cost of manufacture as compared with the cost of manufacture of the simplest of the commercially available drawer-and-follower combinations, which lack the advantages of the present invention.

The construction may be simplified even further by causing the downwardly turned flanges at the top of the side wall portions of the drawer to project inwardly to the same extent as the bosses themselves. in which case the channel-like guides 10 and 11 may be omitted. it may be elaborated, particularly in filing cabinets havin drawers of larger size, by making the lateral edges of the base of the follower longer than indicated in Figure 2 and providing in each of such lateral edges two or more cut-away areas separated by tab-like projections more or less similar to tab-like projections 22 and 23, each adapted to co-act with one of the bosses 13. Various other changes of a similar nature may readily be made by persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by summarization in appended claims, all features of patentable novelty residing in the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a filing cabinet, a drawer and follower therefor in which the drawer has a bottom portion, end and side wall portions extending upward from the bottom portion, and, extending from each of the side wall portions into the interior of the drawer, a multiplicity of spaced holddown bosses of generally semi-circular shape disposed with their chords in alignment in a horizontal plane located a short distance above the bottom portion of the drawer, and in which the follower has in contact with the bottom portion of the drawer a base which is wide enough so that its lateral edges extend beneath said bosses into juxtaposition to said side wall portions and long enough so that its lateral edges exceed the spacing between adjacent bosses, said lateral edges being characterized by cut-away areas of size and shape such as to permit the follower to be inserted in and removed from the drawer without mutual engagement between the bosses and the base of the follower.

2. A filing cabinet drawer as in claim 1 in which the bosses have along their chords flat edges adapted to engage and hold down the base of the follower,

3. A filing cabinet drawer as in claim 2 in which the bosses are integral with the side wall portions of the drawer but severed therefrom along their flat edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,058,819 Probert July 29, 1913 1,279,621 Webber Sept. 24, 1918 1,489,803 Vance Apr. 8, 1924 1,631,983 Quigley June 14, 1927 2,236,807 Swimmer Apr. 1, 1941 

